1811	Action off Madagascar	17

regiment, and except a small proportion, were sick with the endemial fever of the country. This settlement had been taken from the French on the 12th of the preceding February, by the above detachment of British troops, sent thither by Mr. Farquhar, the governor of the Isle of France, in the 18-gun brig-sloop Eclipse, Captain William Jones Lye.

On the 20th, at daybreak, Captain Schomberg, with his three frigates and brig sloop, and who, very judiciously, had sailed from Port-Louis on the 14th direct for this spot, discovered himself to M. Roquebert ; then, with his three frigates, close to the land near Foul point, and directly to windward of the former. The British ships immediately made all sail in chase, with a light breeze from off the land, or from the west by north ; but the French ships continued lying to, to await the return of two of their boats from Tamatave. the Renommée's boat at length came off ; and at noon the French Commodore formed his three frigates in line of battle, placing the Renommée in the centre, the Clorinde ahead, and the Néréide, astern. The British, in the mean while, were closing their opponents as fast as the light and variable winds would permit, formed in the following order: Astrea, Phoebe, Galatea, in line ahead, and the Racehorse nearly abreast of the Phoebe or centre-ship, to leeward.

At 3 h. 50 m. p.m. the French frigates, being on the larboard tack, wore together, and, after keeping away for a short time, hauled up again on the same tack. The British ships were now approaching on the opposite or starboard tack ; and, as soon as the Astrea, who was considerably ahead of her second astern, had arrived abreast of the Renommée, the latter opened her fire at long range. At a few minutes before 4 p.m. the Astrea returned this fire ; as did also the Ph�be and Galatea, as they advanced in succession. Thus,

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